The Blind Leading the Blonde
by Karin Kinomoto
Summary: Eight years have passed since they saw each other. TK has fallen into a world he has never dreamed of, one of drugs and betrayal, while Kari is left with a cross to bear after a fire. Can the blind lead the blonde before it's too late for either of them?
1. TK Returns Home

The Blind Leading the Blonde

By Ruki Minamoto

Summary: Eight years have passed since TK and Kari last saw each other. TK has entered a world he has never dreamed of, one of drugs and betrayal, while Kari is left with a cross to bear after a fire. Can the blind lead the blonde before it is too late for either of them?

Disclaimer: Do I look like Akiyoshi Hongo to you?

Chapter 1: TK Returns Home

TK Takaishi shifted the bag on his shoulder and forced himself through the crowd at Odaiba Airport. He was happy to be back here, after eight years of living in America. He missed his older brother and friends, especially Kari, who he hadn't contacted in a long time. He hoped she had gotten on well.

He changed his direction and headed into the bathroom. He moved into a corner and glanced around him. No one was there, thankfully. He opened his bag and pulled out a syringe.

That voice spoke in his heart again. That voice he couldn't shake away. The voice that sounded just like Kari's voice, the one that had troubled him for four years since he had started.

"_No, TK. Don't do it. Not again."_

TK clasped his hands to either side of his head, and began to mumble under his breath.

"No. This is okay. Leave me alone!"

A man had entered and raised an eyebrow in response to TK's shout. TK turned and stuffed the syringe into his bag. He shouldered it again and stormed out, pushing the man roughly as he went.

"What are you staring at, stare bear?" he said rudely as he left.

TK shoved his way through the bustling crowd and finally managed to get outside. He spotted a taxi and climbed inside. He told the driver his desired destination and sat back.

He opened his bag and pulled out the syringe. Using his bag to hide what he was doing, he pushed up his sleeve to reveal the place he had used to inject himself many times.

Taking care not to call attention to himself, he injected himself. It didn't even sting anymore.

When they reached the café Matt had told TK all about, the driver tapped the meter showing the money TK owed him impatiently.

TK climbed out of the taxi and glared at the driver through the open door.

"Go to hell." TK told him simply and slammed the door loudly. The driver rolled his eyes as TK left. He reset the meter and presumed TK was some sort of teenage hooligan. He was relieved that his passenger hadn't been violent.

TK entered the café and looked around. It was nice, in a sickly sweet sort of way.

He looked around and spotted a vacant booth. He walked over to it and flopped down. He threw his bag down next to him and picked up a menu. He examined it and made a face.

This was certainly no New York City.

A young man, who looked about nineteen, entered the café. He was wearing jeans and a red sports jacket. He had unruly brown hair and a face that seemed oddly familiar to TK.

He looked around the fairly full café and approached TK's booth.

"Can I sit here?" he asked.

Normally, TK would have responded with a rude comment, but something deep inside him kept the comments from escaping.

"It's a free country." TK told the man and he sat down opposite him.

"You seem familiar…" the man said quietly. "My name's Tai Kamiya."

Suddenly, TK understood why the man seemed familiar.

"TK Takaishi." TK told Tai. Tai looked TK up and down.

"You look…uh…different." Tai observed.

TK was wary of his rough appearance. He wore the oldest looking jeans in his wardrobe, he was wearing a black leather jacket and he had very rough looking facial hair.

"It's been eight years, Tai." TK told him. Tai nodded dismally.

"It has." Tai said sadly.

Even on his drug related high, TK could tell that Tai had something on his mind.

However, he wasn't going to ask.

"Matt's missed you." Tai told TK. "But he isn't here. He, Sora and Joe are all off at

college. Sora got a sporting scholarship. I could've too, but I had to stay here."

TK didn't let the strangeness of that comment get to him. Something, much deeper inside him than his drug using self nagged at him.

Without beating around the bush, TK asked the big question.

"How's Kari been going?"

Tai froze. Tears formed in his eyes and began to slide down his cheeks. Tai ran his

fingers through his hair before beginning to speak in soft tones.

"I tried to protect her, TK, I promise I did. But they wouldn't let me back in there. They…they…I know they tried their best, but she's still…she's still…"

Something hit TK hard.

"She's…" TK began as tears formed in his own eyes.

Tai shook his head.

"She'll never be the same…The one time she needed me the most, and I was powerless. I

heard her calling my name…I wanted to run in…It's my fault…"

Impatience ran through TK's blood.

"Tai, I don't care for your stupid riddles and emotional ranting. What happened?" TK shouted. Half the café had turned to stare at them.

Tai became an even worse mess, if that was humanly possible. He let his eyes meet TK's and rose to his feet and hung his head.

"TK…Kari's blind."


	2. Everything's Changed

The Blind Leading the Blonde

By Ruki Minamoto

Disclaimer: I DON'T OWN DIGIMON.

Chapter 2: Everything's Changed…

"TK…Kari's blind." Tai said in a shaky voice that was barely understandable to TK.

"What?" TK asked. Tai began to walk out. TK rose to his feet and reached out for Tai.

By this point, anyone who wasn't staring now was. "Tai! Tai! Come back! Tell me what happened! How did she end up blind? Tai! Please come back! I don't blame you for whatever happened!"

TK looked around as he realized that Tai wasn't coming back. Normally, he would've had a rude comment to use against the staring people, like the one he had used on the man in the airport toilets, but now his mind had gone blank.

He vaguely remembered that Kari had often been sick as a child, but what illness could have left her blind?

TK sank into his seat and picked up the menu. He tore it in half and crumpled both halves up. He aimed them at the bin and shot. They both landed in it perfectly.

The door opened again and TK looked up in the hopes that it was Tai, who had returned to tell him the story of how Kari ended up blind.

But it wasn't Tai at all. It was a brunette with waist-length light brown hair that waved down perfectly and was wearing sunglasses. She was wearing brand new jeans and a pastel pink skivvy and brand new white joggers.

But the thing that caught TK's eye was the white and red cane she moved in front of her skillfully as she made her way to his booth.

She stopped in front of the bench Tai had been sitting on earlier. She turned her head in the vague direction of TK.

"Anyone sitting there?" she asked. TK couldn't speak for several seconds, so simply shook his head before remembering that she couldn't see him.

"No." TK answered simply. "You can sit there."

She smiled at him sweetly and sat down cautiously. She folded her cane up and sat in on the table next to him.

"Your voice seems familiar," she said in quiet, gentle tones that TK remembered well.

It was the same voice he had heard in his heart for the last four years.

"I know you." TK said, as his old self shone through his drug induced high. "Kari Kamiya."

Kari whipped off her dark sunglasses and TK realized that her eyes looked the same, but different. They were sort of…they seemed to stare at you weirdly. TK blinked in surprise.

Kari seemed to register his surprise, because she put them back on.

"Well, only one person would recognize me _that_ quickly even after eight years. Well, TK Takaishi, it's good to have you back here. So, how was New York City?" Kari asked as she leant forward and placed a soft hand on his own.

TK felt his cheeks turn red and looked out the window at the busy street outside.

"Uh…cool. I'm…uh…back here because mum's gotten remarried, and I can't stand her new husband."

Kari nodded understandingly and placed a hand on TK's cheek after moments of feeling around for it. She withdrew it quickly though as she felt the facial hair.

TK fell silent. He didn't know what to say. What did you say when, eight years after you had just seen someone, found out that they were now blind?

Kari sensed his uneasiness and easily found the source of it. She removed her hand from his.

"There's something wrong, TK." Kari said quietly. She fumbled around for her cane. She clasped the folded up cane tightly so her knuckles turned white. "It's because I'm blind, isn't it?"

"What?" TK demanded. "What do you mean?" The drugs in his system had thrown his emotions out from any control he had over them. "What do you mean it's because I'm blind'?"

Kari turned her head towards him and her smile was replaced by a frown.

"I thought you'd understand. I thought you wouldn't care that I was blind, but I was wrong. I thought you wouldn't treat me any different just because I couldn't see like I used to be able to."

TK clenched his fists and pounded the table angrily.

"What do you mean?" he shouted. "How did you want me to react? First, your brother runs out after telling me you're blind, and then you start yelling at me for no reason!"

"Yelling at you?" Kari cried. "You're the one doing the yelling. Forget this, I'm going."

Kari began to unfold her cane, hitting TK by accident on the very spot he had been injecting himself for years now. TK placed his hand there defensively and found his anger rising up to unhealthy levels.

"Fine! I'll be damned if I care what you do with your life!" he cried. "Go on, then! Leave! See if I care!"

Kari finished unfolding her cane and tried to leave, but accidentally stumbled and fell.

TK's anger faded away as his old self and his old friendship and love for Kari took over.

He bent down to help her to her feet, but Kari rolled onto her back and sat up. She swung at him blindly with her cane.

"TK, you've changed. I don't know what happened to you in New York, but just stay away!"

Kari crawled out from under him and began to leave. TK grabbed her shoulder and swung her around. Kari pushed him away, unaware of where he would land. TK fell backwards onto the floor.

"I said leave me alone!" Kari shouted and she left quickly, almost tripping over several things as she left.

TK climbed onto his knees and felt his body go into drug withdrawal. He fell forward and let his forehead rest on the floor. He began to cry heavily as the image of the old friendship he had had with Kari went up in smoke.

"It's all fallen apart," TK mumbled as he began to cuddle himself. "It's all fallen apart."

TK gathered his bag with tears falling down his cheeks and left. He wandered along the main street of Odaiba dismally. Any hopes of a wonderful reunion with Kari had been dashed. It was happening again.

Back in New York City, TK remembered how he had met the perfect girl, but she had left him. TK remembered how it had all fallen apart afterwards.

He forced it from his mind and began to head for his father's apartment. He made a mental note to go the Kamiya's apartment tomorrow.

This couldn't be the end for them. It just couldn't.

Things couldn't change that much, could they?


	3. All is Revealed

The Blind Leading the Blonde

By Ruki Minamoto

Disclaimer: In a world where there are no rules, I own Digimon. Sadly, this world has rules…so I don't own Digimon.

Chapter 3: All is Revealed…

TK looked at the two people sitting two seats in front of him on the bus. Tai and Kari were talking in hushed voices that TK couldn't hear over the rest of the noise. He wished that the other day hadn't gone so badly. He loved Kari, and the fact that they had fought had left him feeling guilty.

A boy with night black hair approached him.

"Hi, my name's Toshi. What's yours?"

"TK." TK said quietly. He returned his gaze to Kari.

"You got the hots for Kari?" Toshi asked. TK nodded without thinking.

He realized what he had done and looked to Toshi sharply.

"I mean, no! We're just old friends…old, well, I don't know anymore."

Toshi rose an eyebrow.

"We ran into each other the other day, but we had a big argument. I didn't know she was blind." TK explained and Toshi nodded. The old school bus arrived at the front of Odaiba High School, and the group climbed off the bus.

TK saw Kari making her way towards her classroom with her cane. Tai seemed to want

to go with her, but better judgment made him stay back. TK approached him.

"Tai…what happened to Kari?" TK asked bluntly. Tai looked to him in surprise.

"TK…it's a long story, and after what Kari told me happened the other day…"

TK felt tears in his eyes. He put his hand on the syringe in his pocket for comfort.

"It was an accident. That's all you need to know." Tai said as he headed inside the school.

"What are you doing at high school?" TK asked in surprise.

"I'm the principal's assistant. And Kari's." Tai told TK.

During math, TK glanced at Kari. She was using her Braille typewriter and her fingers danced across the keyboard with ease. TK drew in a deep breath and sighed. He wished that he could make her understand.

The teacher looked around.

"I'm just going to get some graph paper. Please behave while I'm gone."

As soon as the teacher had left, TK looked to Kari. The room erupted into noise, but somehow Kari kept working.

A couple of kids up the back made their way to the garbage bin while a third closed the door. Kari stopped suddenly and looked up. The way that simple sound caught her attention was extraordinary.

One boy with flaming red hair pulled out a box of matches and struck one alight. TK could hear the flames crackle and glanced over to Kari. She had heard it too apparently, and was close to tears.

He dropped the match into the bin and it caught alight easily. People began to cheer, but TK saw the tears slide down Kari's cheeks. She was screaming out for Tai. TK jumped up and raced to Kari's side. She didn't fight him as he led her outside and let her sit down

outside the door.

Kari began to sob relentlessly. TK hugged her tightly.

"It's okay, Kari," he told her, "it's okay."

The teacher returned and looked in surprise at the two outside. She smelt the fire and raced inside. TK and Kari could hear her shouting at the boys.

"I was so scared." Kari said softly. "I thought it was going to happen again…I couldn't see the fire…I thought it was going to get me again…"

"What was going to happen again?" TK asked. "I don't understand."

Kari drew in a deep breath and TK rubbed her back soothingly.

"It's alright, Kari, just take your time." TK told her.

"Well, it was about a month after you left. It was lunchtime, and I was in the school library. I'm not exactly sure how, but they blamed faulty wiring. Either way, a fire started. I tried to get out, but the fire spread and blocked my only exit." Kari told him.

TK felt hot tears on his cheeks. Not this horror, not so young…

"I moved as far away from the fire as I could, TK. I hid under a desk and began to cry. I

could hear the engines, and I felt the drops of water as the water came through the windows. I screamed out for him, TK, I screamed and screamed and screamed, but he never came…"

"Who never came?" TK asked.

"Tai." Kari answered and TK pieced it all together. So that was why Tai had said it was his fault. "I heard glass explode, and there was so much pain when they hit my eyes. I could feel it burning my eyes and I could no longer see. I was conscious, and it hurt so

much TK. I was so scared…"

TK hugged Kari tighter.

"When I woke up in hospital, they said I was blind. Since then, I've been terrified of fire of any sort. I'm scared it'll all happen again…" Kari finished and began to sob relentlessly

into TK's shirt.

"Kari," TK said as he held Kari at arm's length, "I promise that you will not be hurt again."

"Don't make promises you can't keep, TK." Kari told him. TK kissed Kari's forehead, then the tip of her nose before pausing.

"But I can try." TK said.

"That's all I can ask." Kari responded and their lips brushed before kissing passionately.

That night, TK leant against his bedroom door. He pulled out a syringe and looked at it.

He thought about Kari's predicament and how hard it must be for her, but she hadn't resorted to drugs, had she?

"What should I do?" he asked no one in particular. "What do I do?"

That voice sounded in his heart again.

"_How did the digidestined of hope lose hope? Don't compromise yourself, TK."_

TK looked down at the syringe and threw it under his bed. He then climbed into his bed and curled up.

If he was going to be there for Kari, then he had to start acting like the friend he should be.


	4. The Betrayal

The Blind Leading the Blonde

By Ruki Minamoto

Disclaimer: I Don't Own Digimon.

Chapter 4: The Betrayal

Tai moved into the doorway of his little sister's room and looked at her sadly. It was his fault. He had promised her, so many years ago, that he would protect her, but he had failed. She had still been injured in that fire…he could protect her from Myotismon, the Dark Masters and Apocalymon, but a fire could hurt her so badly…

Kari looked up from her Dictaphone and pressed stop. She had been recording her diary, like she did every night.

"I know you're there, Tai," she said. Tai was shaken from his world where he was the sole person to blame.

"How did you know?" Tai asked quietly.

"I would have to be blind and deaf not to be able to tell when my older brother's in the doorway." Kari said with a smile.

Tai nodded sadly.

"I suppose…"

Kari climbed to her feet and reached for her cane. She unfolded it and Tai moved out of the doorway to let Kari past.

"I'm going over to TK's…is that okay?" she asked.

Tai nodded.

"Of course…do you want a lift?"

Kari shook her head.

"Nah, I'll be alright."

"But what if you get hit by a car or something?" Tai cried. "What if someone mugs you?"

"Tai!" Kari snapped as she turned to Tai. "I'll be fine. I'm not an invalid just because I'm

blind. I know this town inside out!"

Tai nodded and watched as Kari left.

"I suppose," he said again.

TK sat in the living room, holding the syringe in his hands.

He didn't know what to do. He had managed a week, but he was already suffering heavy withdrawal. Just yesterday, he had yelled at Mimi for no reason at all. All she had been trying to do was get him caught up in math, but he had pushed her away.

TK covered his eyes as tears fell down his cheeks. It was too hard. He wished he hadn't done this. Four years…and it was only now he was feeling the burden of this.

"You were right, Kari, you were right!" TK sobbed relentlessly into his knees. "I'm a jerk!"

The doorbell rang and TK sat the syringe, without thinking, on the couch beside him.

He ran to the door and opened it.

"Kari!" he exclaimed happily. Kari smiled and hit him lightly around the ankles with her cane. TK laughed and suddenly the whole drug problem was forgotten. "Come in, come in."

Kari let TK lead her through the house into the living room. He sat down on the couch and Kari sat down beside her. Kari jumped up suddenly and rubbed her bottom.

"Ow…" Kari mumbled. TK looked at her worriedly.

"What is it, Kari?" he asked her. Kari felt on the couch until her hand met with the plunger of the syringe. Her eyes filled with horror as she picked it up. She ran her hand along it, but didn't touch the needle. She turned her eyes to TK. She stared at him with disbelief.

"I don't believe it…what is this, TK?"

"A…uh…syringe." TK answered nervously.

"I know that!" Kari cried as she felt hot tears in her eyes. "I don't believe you! TK, be honest, what is in that syringe?"

TK mumbled the answer quietly, and Kari looked at him in horror.

"You're doing drugs? This whole time, you've been doing drugs? TK, you are the greatest low-life I've ever met! I don't believe the nerve of you! Don't you know what can happen when you use drugs? If you get a bad batch, you can end up with brain damage, or even blind! Don't you see how hard it is?" Kari was in hysterics now.

"Kari!" TK cried. "It isn't what you think! I've been off the drugs for a week now!"

"A week?" Kari cried. "I can't stand it when people who are perfectly healthy abuse their bodies like that! When were you planning on telling me? Or were you going to keep it a secret forever? Doing drugs is so dangerous, TK. You could've gotten something! What about dirty needles? Hepatitis B, TK!"

"I…I…I…" TK began, but Kari refused to listen. She unfolded her cane and threw the syringe hard at the wall.

"Don't justify it, TK." Kari whispered. "You were the whole world to me, TK. You were my eyes when I couldn't see, as Celine Dion put it, but you've been stabbing me in the back all this time. Thanks, TK. Thanks for taking the rest of my world away."

Kari began to leave, using her cane. As she closed the door, she decided to slam it.

TK fell onto the floor and began to cry heavily.

He realized what he had to do.

TK sat in the room silently. He was on one of those bed things that people would lie on while a psychiatrist would ask them how they felt about that.

The man walked inside and shook TK's hand.

"Hello. My name's Dr Hiroshi Saito, but you can call me Hiroshi. Now, I understand that you've got a problem?"

TK nodded and curled into a ball.

"I've been doing drugs for four years, since I was twelve. I was living in New York City

when it began. I was living with my single mother, while my father and brother were here.

So were most of my friends.

"I was going out with this great girl. She loved me, and it was meant to be, for sure. But then, she left me. It all fell apart, but that isn't all. Just after she left me, mum got sick.

She had breast cancer, and it looked like she would die. Somehow, she survived, but I had to stay strong for her, and I couldn't do it alone.

"So I turned to drugs for the answer." TK finished. "I've tried to give up, with now my most recent attempt, but it's just too hard."

"Why did you decide to come here and see me?" Hiroshi asked.

TK looked out the window and drew in a deep breath.

"My girlfriend found a syringe." TK told him. "My girlfriend is blind. You may know her. She was in the headlines apparently. Her name's Kari and we fought when I first came here, but she forgave me when I helped her through something hard. Now, she said that I've taken away her world or something like that. I love her so much, and now she's gone!"

Hiroshi nodded and put down his pad.

"We can help you. If you go to see a doctor, you don't have to do it alone, then we can help you to give the drugs up."

"It _isn't_ too late?" TK asked, looking up to meet Hiroshi's eyes. The man nodded.

"It's never too late."

And suddenly, TK had new hope for winning Kari back.


	5. Kari's Silent Desperation

The Blind Leading the Blonde

By Ruki Minamoto

Disclaimer: ME? OWN DIGIMON? DREAM ON…

Chapter 5: Kari's Silent Desperation

Kari lay in her bed, crying in her world of darkness. It all felt empty, it all felt dark. She wished she had never gone to the library that day. She felt that she could cope with TK and his drug addiction if she could see, but she couldn't see. She could cope with one, or the other, not both at the same time.

She sat up and tried to tell herself that TK wasn't so stupid. He would get help, he would get off the drugs, and it would all be okay again, but what if he wasn't? What if he was just going to keep on going, until fate turned on him and he would be placed in danger?

He was lucky to have lasted this long.

Kari fumbled for her cane and unfolded it. She headed into the kitchen and leant against a bench. She weighed up her options.

Why was she still putting up with this?

Kari headed to the medical cupboard easily and fumbled around for Tai's anti-depressants.

He had used them shortly after the fire, when he believed that it was his fault.

But in her blindness, Kari grabbed the wrong bottle.

Kari headed back to her room and opened the bottle with ease. She had used the anti-depressants herself a few times, usually when she couldn't sleep. They helped to put her mind at ease and made her feel a bit better.

She tipped several tablets into her hand and swallowed them dry. Immediately, she knew they were the wrong pills. They gave her a funny taste in her mouth. She felt on the bottle for the label her mother had made in Braille so she could find a bottle if they had been moved.

"Oh no," Kari whispered as she remembered when Tai had used painkillers a month ago after injuring himself at soccer. She hadn't taken anti-depressants at all. She had just overdosed herself with the most powerful painkillers in the house!

Kari's mind spun. Should she try to induce vomiting to get the pills out of her system? She doubted she could even find her own cane she was so dizzy. She tried to stand, but fell back onto her bed. Only one word made any sense to her right now.

"Tai!" Kari called, before blacking out.

Tai came running, and saw his sister lying face down on the ground.

"Mum! Dad! Come quickly! Something's happened to Kari!"

Tai sat in the hospital waiting room. He remembered finding the bottle of painkillers by the bed. She had tried to commit suicide, he presumed, and he couldn't blame her. He knew about TK's drug addiction, and how it had hurt Kari. And she was blind…if that had been him; he would have committed suicide long ago.

A doctor came out and looked at them sadly. Mrs. Kamiya jumped to her feet.

"No! Don't tell me she's dead!"

"I won't, then," the doctor said, "her heart stopped just a couple of minutes ago, but we managed to revive her…only just…she had a pretty big overdose. Somehow, we caught it before the drugs got to her liver, so I don't think there's much risk of that. Why do you think she took them?"

"Her boyfriend's been doing drugs, and she only just found out," Tai began, "I know she was upset, and I would've killed myself long ago if I were her, but I doubt she would

have done it to herself. She's come so far…"

At the Kamiya apartment, TK stood at the door. He smiled to himself and ran his fingers through his neat hair. He was pleased with himself. In only two weeks, he had turned it all around. He smelt the single perfect red rose he held in his hands and knocked on the door.

It swung open. It hadn't been closed properly.

"What the?" TK asked. "Hello? Anyone home? Tai? Kari?"

He went through the house, looking inside, hoping that they were in the next room, but when he reached the kitchen, all he found was a note.

We're at the hospital. Kari is very sick. Sorry for any inconvenience.'

TK froze and felt his whole body shake. He dropped the note and ran out the door

without closing it.

He raced to the hospital and ran into the waiting room. He approached Tai.

"Where's Kari?" he asked. Tai slapped TK across the face and the blonde fell. "Tai? Are you okay?"

Tai looked down at TK and felt his eyes well with tears.

"Kari's tried to kill herself, thanks to you."

"She's what?" TK demanded. "But Kari wouldn't do that. Even if I've been taking drugs…she just wouldn't."

"Yeah? Well, get lost, TK, she doesn't need you here…"

Tai trailed off as the doctor returned. TK approached him slowly.

"Please, tell me Kari's going to be okay."

The doctor forced a smile. He looked tired and worn out, but all in all he looked rather pleased.

"She's going to be okay. We'll need to keep her here for a while, but she'll be fine. She's semi-conscious and asking for a guy named TK…"

Tai frowned and gave TK a small push.

"Go!" he hissed and TK smiled at Tai. He followed the doctor into emergency

department and opened the curtains. There were still several machines hooked up to Kari,

but she was smiling.

"Hi, TK," she said quietly. TK was surprised.

"How'd you know it was me?" he asked curiously.

"It had to be." Kari said with a shy smile. "Only you would dare wear…aftershave?"

Kari's smile vanished. "What have you been up to these last couple of weeks?"

"I'm turning my life around, Kari." TK told her. "I promise you, never again will I hurt you so bad that you have to kill yourself…"

"I wasn't trying to kill myself." Kari said quietly. "I was looking for anti-depressants to make me relax. I grabbed the wrong bottle by mistake. As soon as I realized, I called for Tai. I never tried to commit suicide."

The doctor frowned and left to tell the Kamiya's the news that their daughter wasn't suicidal.

TK smiled and handed Kari the rose.

"This is for you…it's…"

"A rose." Kari finished. "I can't see it, but it's beautiful. TK…I shouldn't have dumped you after finding out that you were on drugs. It wasn't right. I left you at a time when you needed me more than ever."

TK shook his head and took Kari's hand.

"No, Kari. You gave me the wake-up call I needed. Otherwise, I would have injected myself again and you were right, I could have gotten a bad batch. I could have ended up with even more problems. And you would have had to help me with those problems. It wasn't fair on you to stay. It wasn't right of me to expect you to stay."

Then, they kissed.

Three weeks later, Kari was home again. She lay in bed while TK sat on the end of it, telling her about what she had missed at school.

"Everyone misses you, Kari. Sora, Matt and Joe all called me that night and asked how you were. You've got so many people who care about you, Kari. You're popular, you know." TK told her.

Kari smiled and leant back into her pillow. Sometimes, she cursed the darkness she was forced to live in. Sometimes, she wished she were dead. But then, whenever those thoughts would appear to win, she would remind herself of her friends and family, who all were behind her and all wanted to see her become the best person that she could be.

And then there was TK, who would always stay behind her, to catch her whenever and wherever she fell.


	6. The Probability of Miracles

The Blind Leading the Blonde

By Ruki Minamoto

Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon. Never have, and never will…

Chapter 7: Promises

"In twenty four hours, you're going to be able to see this place in all its glory!" Matt cried as he sat down opposite Kari at the café.

"I don't know about glory. It's sort of sickly sweet." TK said. "I thought that when I first came here and was on drugs, and I still think that. But then again, after our fight here, I don't know if I'll ever really take a liking to this place. But, guys, have a look at these pajamas I bought for Kari!" TK held up pink kitten pajamas that no self-respecting teenager would be caught dead in.

"Are they nice?" Kari asked.

"Uh," Tai said with uncertainty as he looked to Matt. "They're, uh, nice, aren't they Matt?"

"Uh huh." Matt said.

Kari smiled and rested her head on TK's shoulder. Matt and Tai sat opposite the sixteen-year-olds. Both of the older boys thought it would be wonderful for TK and Kari to get some happiness for once.

"But remember, the operation may not work." Kari said quietly. "I may never get my sight back."

"Wow, you're optimistic." Tai said with a laugh. The blondes smiled at the brunettes and

Tai looked down at his watch. "Ouch! We've gotta go!"

Kari pressed a button on her watch and it publicized the time for the group.

"You're right. Mum'll have a fit if I'm not home by dinnertime. She'll presume that a car hit me and insist the police do a worldwide search. Hey, TK, you wanna come over for dinner?"

"Sure." TK said.

Tai and Kari made their way out of the booth. Matt grabbed TK's wrist and pulled his ear down level with his mouth.

"You'd better hope that her sense of fashion hasn't changed since she was eight." Matt told TK. TK stood up and slapped Matt's back.

"Stop being cruel, Matt," he said and left.

"Right, Kari, potatoes are at 1 o' clock, the sausages are at 5 o'clock and the gravy is at 8 o'clock. Enjoy." Mrs. Kamiya said as she removed her apron. "I've got to go out to pick up some milk, but I'll be back soon."

As soon as Mrs. Kamiya had left, TK looked to Kari, who was filling her plate. Tai seemed unmoved by his mother's words.

"What was that about?" TK asked.

"Oh, the clock thing?" Kari asked. "It's to help me find the food. I just imagine a clock face. It was recommended to me by the counselor mum and dad made me see after the fire."

"Why?" TK asked.

"Well, I became really withdrawn, and they got worried about my sanity." Kari said with a laugh. "I saw her for about a year. She was specially trained to help people like me, so she gave me all these little things to use in my day-to-day life so I could get around. Like the clock thing."

"I started seeing a counselor myself after you found the syringe." TK admitted quietly.

"His name was Hiroshi Saito. He really helped me to find my feet. I owe him a lot of things."

Tai looked from TK to Kari and smiled.

It was weird to see how similar they were.

It was late, and TK was ready to leave. He peered in at Kari.

"It'll work out, Kari, I know it will. It has to. We've worked too hard for it not to." TK told her.

Kari turned her eyes to TK. She nodded.

"But I can't help but worry…"

TK headed into her room and kissed her forehead lightly.

"Skies are gonna clear up, put on a happy face."

"What?" Kari asked.

"The Simpsons, that episode with the Leftorium. Yeah…have a little hope, Kari."

"I don't know if I can." Kari whispered quietly.

"Then I'll do all the hoping for us." TK said and kissed her. "Goodnight, Kari."

Kari smiled.

"Goodnight, TK."

Kari lay in her hospital bed, her eyes filled with tears. She wanted to get the whole

operation over with. She wanted to be put out of her misery.

TK came in and kissed her on the cheek.

"Hello, sweetheart."

Kari blushed.

"Geez, TK…Why is everyone spoiling me?"

"Oh, it's only the most important moment in your life." TK said with a smile. He sat on the bed beside her and took her hand tightly.

"Most important moment in my life? I thought being the digidestined of light was important, or the fire. Okay, the fire was terrifyingly painful and awful, but important." Kari said with a smile.

"You know what I think, Kari? You think too much." TK told her and they kissed. The doctor entered the room.

"Miss Kamiya…it's time."

Kari gulped and looked to TK.

"Kari…I promise you, when you wake up, you will not see the drug abuser I once was,

you will see a teenager that you will instantly know is me. You will see a teenager who is proud of who he is, and what he has. I promise." TK told her.

Kari nodded and kissed him once more.

"Thank you."

TK headed into the waiting room and looked at Tai.

"It's all in fate's hands now." Tai said. TK nodded, and turned to leave. "Hey, where are you going, TK?"

TK turned to face Tai.

"I'm going to keep a promise that I made to Kari."

TK looked at himself in the mirror. He dug through his wardrobe and found his best outfit. He put it on and tidied his hair. He didn't use gel though, he knew Kari hated it.

After an hour, he smiled at himself and left his apartment again. He then headed to the florists and bought a bouquet of roses. Red, white, pink and yellow roses, all for Kari.

"Thank you." TK said as he bowed to Mrs. Takenouchi and left. He stopped outside and

looked down at them. "She's gonna love these."

He then headed to the chocolate shop and bought Kari the biggest box he could afford.

Finally, he returned to the hospital. He entered the waiting room, and Tai almost fell over in shock.

"Wow, TK, what have you done to yourself?" Tai asked. TK smiled at Tai happily.

"Like I said, I've kept my promise to Kari…I've made something of myself. A person I

can be proud of."


	7. Promises

The Blind Leading the Blonde

By Ruki Minamoto

Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon. Never have, and never will…

Chapter 7: Promises

"In twenty four hours, you're going to be able to see this place in all its glory!" Matt cried as he sat down opposite Kari at the café.

"I don't know about glory. It's sort of sickly sweet." TK said. "I thought that when I first came here and was on drugs, and I still think that. But then again, after our fight here, I don't know if I'll ever really take a liking to this place. But, guys, have a look at these pajamas I bought for Kari!" TK held up pink kitten pajamas that no self-respecting teenager would be caught dead in.

"Are they nice?" Kari asked.

"Uh," Tai said with uncertainty as he looked to Matt. "They're, uh, nice, aren't they Matt?"

"Uh huh." Matt said.

Kari smiled and rested her head on TK's shoulder. Matt and Tai sat opposite the sixteen-year-olds. Both of the older boys thought it would be wonderful for TK and Kari to get some happiness for once.

"But remember, the operation may not work." Kari said quietly. "I may never get my sight back."

"Wow, you're optimistic." Tai said with a laugh. The blondes smiled at the brunettes and

Tai looked down at his watch. "Ouch! We've gotta go!"

Kari pressed a button on her watch and it publicized the time for the group.

"You're right. Mum'll have a fit if I'm not home by dinnertime. She'll presume that a car hit me and insist the police do a worldwide search. Hey, TK, you wanna come over for dinner?"

"Sure." TK said.

Tai and Kari made their way out of the booth. Matt grabbed TK's wrist and pulled his ear down level with his mouth.

"You'd better hope that her sense of fashion hasn't changed since she was eight." Matt told TK. TK stood up and slapped Matt's back.

"Stop being cruel, Matt," he said and left.

"Right, Kari, potatoes are at 1 o' clock, the sausages are at 5 o'clock and the gravy is at 8 o'clock. Enjoy." Mrs. Kamiya said as she removed her apron. "I've got to go out to pick up some milk, but I'll be back soon."

As soon as Mrs. Kamiya had left, TK looked to Kari, who was filling her plate. Tai seemed unmoved by his mother's words.

"What was that about?" TK asked.

"Oh, the clock thing?" Kari asked. "It's to help me find the food. I just imagine a clock face. It was recommended to me by the counselor mum and dad made me see after the fire."

"Why?" TK asked.

"Well, I became really withdrawn, and they got worried about my sanity." Kari said with a laugh. "I saw her for about a year. She was specially trained to help people like me, so she gave me all these little things to use in my day-to-day life so I could get around. Like the clock thing."

"I started seeing a counselor myself after you found the syringe." TK admitted quietly.

"His name was Hiroshi Saito. He really helped me to find my feet. I owe him a lot of things."

Tai looked from TK to Kari and smiled.

It was weird to see how similar they were.

It was late, and TK was ready to leave. He peered in at Kari.

"It'll work out, Kari, I know it will. It has to. We've worked too hard for it not to." TK told her.

Kari turned her eyes to TK. She nodded.

"But I can't help but worry…"

TK headed into her room and kissed her forehead lightly.

"Skies are gonna clear up, put on a happy face."

"What?" Kari asked.

"The Simpsons, that episode with the Leftorium. Yeah…have a little hope, Kari."

"I don't know if I can." Kari whispered quietly.

"Then I'll do all the hoping for us." TK said and kissed her. "Goodnight, Kari."

Kari smiled.

"Goodnight, TK."

Kari lay in her hospital bed, her eyes filled with tears. She wanted to get the whole

operation over with. She wanted to be put out of her misery.

TK came in and kissed her on the cheek.

"Hello, sweetheart."

Kari blushed.

"Geez, TK…Why is everyone spoiling me?"

"Oh, it's only the most important moment in your life." TK said with a smile. He sat on the bed beside her and took her hand tightly.

"Most important moment in my life? I thought being the digidestined of light was important, or the fire. Okay, the fire was terrifyingly painful and awful, but important." Kari said with a smile.

"You know what I think, Kari? You think too much." TK told her and they kissed. The doctor entered the room.

"Miss Kamiya…it's time."

Kari gulped and looked to TK.

"Kari…I promise you, when you wake up, you will not see the drug abuser I once was,

you will see a teenager that you will instantly know is me. You will see a teenager who is proud of who he is, and what he has. I promise." TK told her.

Kari nodded and kissed him once more.

"Thank you."

TK headed into the waiting room and looked at Tai.

"It's all in fate's hands now." Tai said. TK nodded, and turned to leave. "Hey, where are you going, TK?"

TK turned to face Tai.

"I'm going to keep a promise that I made to Kari."

TK looked at himself in the mirror. He dug through his wardrobe and found his best outfit. He put it on and tidied his hair. He didn't use gel though, he knew Kari hated it.

After an hour, he smiled at himself and left his apartment again. He then headed to the florists and bought a bouquet of roses. Red, white, pink and yellow roses, all for Kari.

"Thank you." TK said as he bowed to Mrs. Takenouchi and left. He stopped outside and

looked down at them. "She's gonna love these."

He then headed to the chocolate shop and bought Kari the biggest box he could afford.

Finally, he returned to the hospital. He entered the waiting room, and Tai almost fell over in shock.

"Wow, TK, what have you done to yourself?" Tai asked. TK smiled at Tai happily.

"Like I said, I've kept my promise to Kari…I've made something of myself. A person I

can be proud of."


	8. Alls Well That Ends Well

The Blind Leading the Blonde

By Ruki Minamoto

Disclaimer: I'll never own Digimon. If I did, there'd probably be Season 5 right now.

Chapter 8: At Last… Seeing Clearly

Kari awoke, and at first couldn't remember where she was, or why she was there.

Bandages were pulled snug around her eyes like a second skin. She clawed at them out of instinct.

"Kari, please stop clawing at those bandages."

Kari felt happiness well in her heart.

"TK…you're here."

"Of course I am. I've gone and when they take those bandages off in a few hours, you'll see a new man." TK said with a huge smile.

"I hope you're not too different." Kari said. "Cause I still want to be able to recognize you."

"You will." TK assured her.

"Don't tell me that you went out and bought a stupid cap like the one you wore eight years ago! I hated that hat…" Kari said with a smile.

"Oh, so now the truth comes out," TK said with playful anger. "What was wrong with the hat?"

Kari laughed nervously.

"It was so dorky!"

TK was about to make a comment, but the doctor walked in.

"Miss Kamiya…how are you feeling?"

"Pretty good, yeah, yeah." Kari said.

"Well, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but there is a chance that you may not regain

full sight. There were…complications…" the doctor said.

"I'm blind for the rest of my life?" Kari cried as she felt all her hope disappear.

"Maybe not. All I'm saying is that there was more glass than we first thought. The chances are no longer fifty-fifty. More like 35-65."

"No." Kari whispered and sank back into her pillow. "No."

"Kari…Kari." TK said. "I don't care whether you're blind or not. I will always love you, no matter what. You could be blind, deaf and have no sense of smell, and I would still adore you. You are everything to me, Kari, everything. You brought me back from dark places I never wanted to see. As Hoobastank said - I've found out a reason for me, to change who I used to be, a reason to start over new, and the reason is you'."

Kari hugged TK as tight as she could.

"Thank you."

Several hours later, the nurse slowly removed the bandages from around Kari's eyes. TK watched on in emotional agony. Kari sat on her bed, wearing the pink kitten pajamas that TK had bought for her.

The nurse removed a couple of patches from over Kari's eyes and stood in front of her. Kari sat there with her eyes closed. The nurse indicated for TK to move in front of Kari, and TK, carrying his gifts for Kari, sat in front of her on the bed.

"Now Kari, open your eyes slowly. There's no rush."

Kari's eyelids began to move slowly. After several seconds, her eyes fluttered open.

"Now, tell me what you see," the nurse said.

Kari felt tears in her eyes, and TK realized the worst.

"Nothing." Kari whispered hopelessly. "Nothing at all."

TK wrapped his arms around Kari and hugged her as tight as he could Kari wrapped her arms around TK's neck and began to sob relentlessly.

"Give it a couple of minutes…sometimes it can take a little while for them to adjust," the nurse said.

TK and Kari moved slowly apart and TK placed his hands on her shoulders. Kari blinked and suddenly, everything became white. She blinked a couple more times, and was stunned to find everything coming into focus. Anything further than a couple of feet away was blurry almost beyond recognition, but Kari didn't dwell on that. She watched as a teen around her age came into focus. He was the most handsome thing she'd ever seen.

"Wow…are you sure you were ever doing drugs?" Kari asked the teen that sat before her.

TK beamed and pulled Kari into a hug.

"It worked!" Kari cried. "It worked! It…oh, yuck! Pink kitten pajamas! TK, how old am I? Five?"

TK laughed and held up the roses and chocolates. Kari let her eyes light up as she took them from TK and then looked to him suspiciously.

"Peace offering." TK said and Kari laughed. She threw her arms around him again and they hugged tightly.

"I don't believe this, TK," Kari whispered, "after eight years, the miracle I've prayed for,

I've dreamed about, it's come true." Kari drew away from TK. "Do you believe in acts of God?" she asked.

"I suppose I have to now." TK said with a smile. "I prayed to just about every God I knew that you would get your sight back, and it worked. It's all going to be okay, Kari. I promise you that together, we can move into the new light, the new dawn. We can face whatever challenges life throws our way. I promise you."

"And I know that a promise from you is a promise well-kept." Kari said and they kissed once more. "TK…you led me through such a tough time. The blonde led the blind, I think."

"No." TK said. "I don't think so. _You_ led me through everything. Four years ago, when I first started using drugs, I kept hearing your voice in my heart, helping me and guiding me. And when I returned to Odaiba, you led me through the darkest days I'd ever known."

Kari blinked in confusion.

"I think the blind led the blonde this time."

Ending Song

Title: Because You Live

Artist: Jesse McCartney

Album: Beautiful Soul

Staring out, at the rain, with a heavy heart,

It's the end of the world in my mind

Then your voice pulls me back like a wake-up call,

I've been looking for the answers, somewhere

I couldn't see that it was right there

But now I know what I didn't know

CHORUS

Because you live, and breathe,

Because you made me believe in myself when nobody else can help

Because you live, girl, my world

Has twice as many stars in the sky

It's all right, I survived, I'm alive again,

Cuz of you, made it through every storm

What is life, what's the use if you're killing time

I'm so glad I found an angel, someone

Who was there when all my hopes fell

I wanna fly looking in your eyes

CHORUS

Because you live, there's a reason why

I carry on when I lose the fight

I want to give, what you've given me

Always

CHORUS

Because you live, and breathe,

Because you make me believe in myself when nobody else can help

Because you live (Cuz you live), my world

Has everything I need to survive

Because you live, I live

I live

Author's note: I love that song! By the way, this fic is dedicated to two gd friends of mine, Jess and QH, who were there when I needed them. Thanks, guys!


End file.
